THE DAVID ROCKEFELLER GRADUATE PROGRAM

2013–2014

At a Glance

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y C O M M U N I T Y

• 73 heads of laboratories

• 200 research and clinical scientists

• 350 postdoctoral researchers

• 1,050 clinicians, technicians and staff

• 175 Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. students

• 1,127 alumni

A R E A S O F R E S E A R C H

• Chemical and Structural Biology

• Genetics and Genomics

• Immunology, Virology and Microbiology

• Medical Sciences, Systems Physiology and Human Genetics

• Molecular and Cell Biology

• Neurosciences and Behavior

• Organismal Biology, Evolution, Ethology and Ecology

• Physical, Mathematical and Computational Biology

• Stem Cells, Development, Regeneration and Aging

FA C U LT Y H O N O R S

• 24 Nobel laureates

• 21 Albert Lasker Awardees

• 20 National Medal of Science recipients

• 33 current members of the National Academy of Sciences

C L I N I C A L C O N D I T I O N S U N D E R S T U D Y

• infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and hospital-acquired MRSA

• neurologic disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, epilepsy and ALS

• autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, asthma, lupus and type 1 diabetes

• cancers, including breast, colon and brain tumors

• cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity

• psychiatric and behavioral disorders, such as schizophrenia, depression and drug addiction

• genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and inherited immunodeficiencies

• developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and fragile X

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PRES IDENT ’S MESSAGE 2

DEAN’S MESSAGE 4

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 6

FACULTY AND RESEARCH 12

STUDENT L I FE 20

ADMISS IONS AND SCHEDULE OF COURSES 26

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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For me, neuroscience was love at first sight.

Understanding the brain and wanting to know how to

deconstruct and resolve its complexity fueled my career ini-

tially and still motivates me in my lab today. People fall in

love with science at different times in their lives and for dif-

ferent reasons, but the common denominator is an excite-

ment and curiosity to understand the world around them —

that’s what The Rockefeller University’s graduate program is

designed to nurture. It is also what drives Rockefeller’s

world-class faculty, who push the boundaries of knowledge

with their innovative approaches to scientific discovery.

In an environment that aims to foster independence and

freedom, both students and faculty chart their own paths.

For faculty, this culture has led to pioneering discoveries

with the potential to eradicate disease and reduce

suffering for millions. For students, it provides flexibility to

work with more than one professor on their chosen thesis

topic. For both, it enables collaboration and interdisciplin-

ary research, which are the university’s hallmarks.

Rockefeller is truly unique, as it exists solely to support

science; thus, every aspect of the administration is dedicated

to the success of our scientists. In fact, every member of our

scientific administration is an active faculty member, with an

active lab. Vital to faculty and student success are modern

and well-equipped buildings, such as the new Collaborative

Research Center. We’re also well served by scientific resource

centers that provide state-of-the-art research support services.

At Rockefeller, we believe students should learn science

by doing science, shoulder to shoulder with some of the

world’s leading researchers, who guide and mentor them

every step of the way. As a student at Rockefeller, you’ll be

part of a diverse and supportive community that is a haven

for creative, independent thinkers. Your time will be spent

on an extraordinary campus, a green oasis nestled in one of

the most exciting cities in the world.

Deciding where to pursue your graduate training is not

easy, as there are many outstanding institutions from which

to choose. However, Rockefeller stands out among its peers,

providing developing scientists an unparalleled educational

experience. We hope you’ll join us.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, President

DEAN’S MESSAGE

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Rockefeller has a graduate program unlike any in the world.

Since its beginning more than 50 years ago, five principles

have guided the program:

Recruit the best students, regardless of citizenship.

International diversity is both intellectually and culturally

stimulating. Our current student population consists of

approximately 175 students from 33 countries, a range

made possible by significant private support.

Provide a flexible academic program. Students have diverse

interests and needs. We support individual development by

giving students the freedom to design their own curricula.

They fulfill credit requirements with courses of interest and

may conduct rotations or immediately affiliate with a lab.

Provide generous professional and personal support.

Relieving worries about practical matters allows our students

more time to be creative scientifically. They receive a stipend,

health, dental and vision insurance, subsidized housing and

an annual research allowance for travel and lab support.

Strongly encourage interactions. Students are often the

catalyst for collaborations between labs, and some of the

most revolutionary ideas span disciplines. To foster interac-

tions, we have an annual student retreat organized and run

by students, as well as numerous lecture series featuring

speakers from around the world.

Ensure careful mentoring. The freedom of our graduate

program requires supportive advice and mentoring. Counsel

is provided by the Dean’s Office and, in later years, by a

research adviser and faculty committee.

The program has been an extraordinary success. Of

more than 1,100 graduates, two have won the Nobel Prize,

28 are members of the United States National Academy of

Sciences and our alumni occupy influential positions in

academia, industry and many other fields.

Graduate school is an important step in becoming a pro-

fessional scientist. Although it has a well-defined end point, it

really is just a beginning. All of the things that go into becom-

ing a scientist — learning new ideas, perfecting new experi-

mental techniques, refining analytical abilities — are lifelong

endeavors. Our goal at Rockefeller is to equip you with both

the skills and the self-confidence to begin your journey.

Sidney Strickland, Dean

ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

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For over 100 years, biomedical science has been The

Rockefeller University’s singular priority. Founded in 1901

by John D. Rockefeller as The Rockefeller Institute for

Medical Research, it was the first institution in the United

States devoted solely to understanding the causes of disease.

Today, renamed The Rockefeller University, it is one of the

foremost research centers in the world, with a world-class

faculty including five Nobel Prize laureates and 33 members

or foreign associates of the National Academy of Sciences.

The graduate program admitted its first students in

1955, and since then over 1,100 scientists have received

degrees from Rockefeller. As a Rockefeller graduate student,

you will be part of a diverse community of over 2,000,

including students, postdocs, faculty and administrative staff.

Our location adjacent to Weill Cornell Medical College,

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan-

Kettering Cancer Center puts us at an epicenter of scientific

activity. Our students truly have the best of both worlds: a

“At Rockefeller, curiosity is celebrated in a way that is virtually unequaled in the academic universe. Our faculty ask questions that are pushing the very boundaries of human knowledge. Our students are at the center of this research enterprise.” Paul Nurse, President Emeritus

personal, highly flexible training program and access to a

broad range of collaborators and resources.

Ph.D. Program

Rockefeller’s Ph.D. program is based on the concept of

learning science by doing science, and our laboratories are at

the center of the Ph.D. training program. There are 73

laboratories at Rockefeller, each headed by a tenured or

tenure-track member of the faculty, that study a wide range

of biomedical and related sciences, including biochemistry,

genomics, immunology, microbiology, physiology, molecular

and cell biology, neuroscience, evolution and ecology,

developmental biology and biophysics.

Students who arrive with a particular mentor or project

in mind may immediately join a laboratory; those who

prefer to explore may rotate through several laboratories to

gain exposure to different areas of research. Students choose

a laboratory by the end of their first year and present a

thesis proposal before the end of their second year.

The collegial nature of the laboratory environment links

younger students to previous generations from the same lab

as well as to postdocs and faculty mentors. The collabora-

tions that result from these relationships are not only the

basis on which our scientific education is built, they are the

engine that drives the discovery process. Many collabora-

tions produce exceptional results that lead to publication in

prominent journals. And the relationships formed within

laboratories often lead to lifelong associations.

While formal coursework is minimal, several classes each

semester offer foundations in particular specialties, and three

required courses taken during the first year serve to develop

students’ abilities to critically interpret scientific data, to

promote awareness of research ethics and to introduce

students to research going on in the university’s labs. Beyond

the scheduled curriculum, additional seminars and tutorials

are available based on demand.

As graduate students near the end of their investigations,

they defend their thesis before a panel of faculty members

and present their work to the full Rockefeller University

community.

TAMARA OUSPENSKAIAFourth-year student

Growing up, Tamara Ouspenskaia always loved math and thought she might someday use her facility with numbers in business. After immigrating to Canada from Russia at the age of 15, however, she was inspired by a high school science teacher. “Once I learned what science was really about, I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she says. As an undergraduate at McGill University, Tamara dove into biochemistry. She did stints in physiology and pharmacology labs, and, for her master’s degree, she worked to identify novel players in the signaling cascade for a growth factor, TGF-β. But after her lab rotations at Rockefeller, she decided she wanted to work in an animal model. She joined Elaine Fuchs’s Laboratory of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development to work on stem cells in mice. “It always bothered me that I couldn’t be sure whether the work I was doing in cell cultures would actually apply in real life, so the mouse model was perfect.” Tamara investigates the function of new genes involved in skin cancers and was recently awarded a prestigious HHMI International Student Research Fellowship to support her work. In Dr. Fuchs, she found a strong female mentor. “I hope some of her brilliance will rub off on me.”

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Student Profile

M.D.-Ph.D. Program

The mission of the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program is

to educate and train physician-scientists, who are able to

bridge the gap between laboratory research and clinical

medicine and thereby contribute toward improving health

and enhancing the quality of life by reducing disability and

death from disease. Rockefeller participates in the program

jointly with its two neighbors: Weill Cornell Medical College

and the Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Cornell

University, and the Sloan-Kettering Institute at Memorial

Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Approximately 15 students enroll in this highly competi-

tive program every year, and at any one time 25 or so are

performing thesis research in Rockefeller University labora-

tories. Students spend their first two years in medical school,

while also completing three research rotations. Following

the completion of graduate studies and thesis research at

either The Rockefeller University, the Gerstner Sloan-

Kettering Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences or Weill

Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, students

receive their Ph.D. degrees and then reenter medical school

to complete clinical rotations and receive their M.D. degrees.

With more than 25 years of continuous funding through

the Medical Scientist Training Program of the National

Institutes of Health and significant institutional and founda-

tion support, the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program offers

full tuition and stipends. Graduates typically go on to

pursue clinical and advanced research training, and many

alumni of the program occupy research, clinical and admin-

istrative positions at the nation’s top medical schools and

academic medical centers.

Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology

The development of new generations of targeted probes

and therapeutics is critically dependent on scientists trained

in the new field of chemical biology. The Rockefeller

University, with Weill Cornell Medical College and

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, trains graduate

students to use chemical approaches and technologies to

answer fundamental biological questions. Students, who

receive graduate-level training in both chemistry and

biology, are recruited from top undergraduate chemistry

programs worldwide.

ANDREW PLUMPDeputy Head of Research and Translational Medicine,

Sanofi

Ask Andrew Plump what he does for a living and you’ll have a lively discussion. A 1993 Rockefeller graduate, Andy works at the pharmaceutical company Sanofi as the deputy head of research and translational medicine, responsible for the global cross-therapeutic research portfolio. Prior to joining Sanofi in the summer of 2012, Andy spent 11 years at Merck as the cardiovascular fran-chise integrator and subsequently as the cardiovascular worldwide discovery head. “In both my Sanofi and Merck roles, I bring together the bench and clinical arms of pharmaceutical research and development. I coordi-nate the work of people across the world into a cohesive effort to forward the goals of drug development.” Andy began his education at MIT, where he studied virology, political science and urban studies. UCSF Medical School was his next move. “MIT was a very experiment-driven place, but in medical school the learning is very memory based and lecture heavy. It wasn’t long before I wanted to get back in the lab.” He enrolled in a summer study program with Jan L. Breslow, head of Rockefeller’s Laboratory of Biochemical Genetics and Metabolism, and later took a leave of absence from UCSF to enroll in Rockefeller’s Ph.D. program. “Being at Rockefeller full time was a wonder-ful immersion. The environment made it easy to focus on my work, and my years there were undoubtedly the most exciting of my professional life.”

Alumnus Profile

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DEANNA BELSKY Third-year student

After Deanna Belsky did a year of rotations through several different labs at Rockefeller — studying immunology, developmental biology and neuroscience — she uncovered a research idea she was eager to explore: plasticity in the sensory processing region of the brain. There was just one problem: none of the labs at Rockefeller were studying that specific topic. “Rockefeller is known for encouraging its students to pursue novel ideas. A colleague suggested a collaboration between two labs, and I was happy to find I had a lot of support to do that,” says Deanna, who did her undergraduate work at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She now divides her time between President Marc Tessier-Lavigne’s lab, where she draws on his molecular neuroscience expertise, and Charles Gilbert’s lab, which helps her examine the brain from a sensory systems standpoint. Deanna has another interest she wants to pursue while at Rockefeller — teaching. “Rockefeller doesn’t require its graduate students to teach like other schools do, but there are opportunities to design courses and implement them at nearby undergraduate institutions. I think that’s even better.” Although she’s still in the preliminary phase of her project, Deanna’s ambition has already yielded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, which provides three years of research support.

Student Profile

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Student Achievements

Like the faculty they train with, Rockefeller’s students

are some of the brightest and most accomplished in the

world, and they have been recognized with prestigious

national awards and honors. Nine students have received

the Harold M. Weintraub Graduate Student Award, which

recognizes outstanding achievement in the biological

sciences, since the award’s creation in 2000. Rockefeller

students also have a long-standing record of obtaining

competitive fellowships from the National Institutes of

Health and the National Science Foundation, among

others, to fund their graduate training.

Career Opportunities

A scientific education at Rockefeller can be the first step

in a stellar career in academic research, or it can serve as

the basis for work in other areas. While the majority of

Rockefeller’s graduates go on to careers in research or

teaching, others are drawn to the pharmaceutical and

technology industries, businesses or nonprofit organizations.

The university works to expose its students to the career

opportunities available to them after graduation and to

help them transition to postdoctoral fellowships or other

positions. A seminar series brings experts in various

fields to campus to discuss their work and their career paths.

Regular science career symposia also connect students with

leaders in fields including academia, industry, public policy

and media and provide workshops on résumé writing and

job interviews.

FACULTY AND RESEARCH

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The university’s faculty tackle scores of different biological

problems, but they all have one thing in common: they’re

here for the science. Whether studying individual cells, model

organisms, human beings or entire populations, Rockefeller’s

scientists are working to explore the inner workings of life

and are attempting to unravel the causes of disease. The

questions they ask and the experiments they perform,

although they vary, are all in service of expanding knowl-

edge, and the results they generate have opened up new fields

and overturned long-held dogma. It’s this emphasis on inqui-

ry and discovery above all else that sets Rockefeller apart

from its peers and that has sustained its excellence over more

than 100 years. At Rockefeller, the formula for success is to

hire only the best scientists and to give them the resources

and freedom they need to do their best work. The result is a

faculty that’s passionate, curious, energetic and more than a

little brilliant — and a culture that supports high-risk proj-

ects and rewards intellectual curiosity.

“For more than a century, The Rockefeller University has fulfilled the mission my grandfather had envisioned, to produce discoveries that would benefit humankind. It has become one of the world’s great medical research institutions.” David Rockefeller, Life Trustee

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Faculty Mentors

At Rockefeller, students have over 70 laboratories to choose

from and are free to explore their interests before settling on

one. Regardless of which lab they choose, students will be

sharing the bench with the world’s preeminent scientists,

participating in the innovative research that has earned

Rockefeller’s faculty its prestigious reputation.

Rockefeller faculty members have relatively little to

distract them from their work. The university’s small size

and lack of departmental structure mean that faculty have

fewer administrative duties. As a result, they are able to

spend most of their time running their labs and serving as

collaborators and mentors.

Taken as a whole, the faculty has a record of achieve-

ment that is virtually unmatched in academia. Faculty

throughout the university’s history have been recognized

with 20 National Medal of Science awards, 17 Canada

Gairdner International Awards, 21 Albert Lasker Medical

Research Awards and an impressive 24 Nobel Prizes, five

recipients of which are currently on the faculty. Nearly half

the current faculty are members of the prestigious National

Academy of Sciences, and 16 have been elected to the

Institute of Medicine. Rockefeller’s junior faculty members

also have a remarkable record of obtaining competitive

grants and receiving coveted fellowships that recognize

promise and leadership in research.

Award-winning discoveries include the discovery of

the hormone leptin, which is critical to the body’s ability to

regulate its weight; uncovering how stem cells in the skin

undergo a cycle of self-renewal; elucidating how ion channel

proteins help generate nerve impulses; and the discovery

of peptide signals that govern the transport of proteins

inside cells.

New Rockefeller faculty members are principally recruited

via an open search mechanism that seeks to identify the most

talented scientists regardless of their field. A large cross section

of the university’s faculty participates in the search process,

and faculty candidate seminars are open to the entire campus.

Two searches are run each year, in the spring and fall.

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Rockefeller faculty regard students as colleagues and

work to create an open environment where ideas and inde-

pendence are encouraged.

Research Areas

When Rockefeller was founded more than a century ago, its

researchers sought to cure infectious disease. Today, it is

dedicated to unlocking the mysteries of basic science that

will advance modern medicine and lead to new

breakthrough cures.

Centered around 73 cutting-edge laboratories working in

a broad range of fields, The Rockefeller University fosters a

collaborative research environment for its faculty and

provides an innovative educational experience for its select

group of outstanding graduate students and postdoctoral

researchers. To help reduce artificial barriers and provide its

investigators with the greatest degree of freedom,

Rockefeller does not have academic departments. As a result,

the university is not constrained to perform research in any

particular field and can recruit the most accomplished and

gifted investigators across a wide spectrum of disciplines in

the sciences. Organizationally, the university’s laboratories

are loosely clustered into nine distinct research areas; these

research areas, some of which were pioneered at Rockefeller,

represent the broad fields of study that are being pursued

most actively by the university’s scientists.

CHEMICAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY

Chemical and structural biologists at Rockefeller work to

identify and characterize molecules and molecular assemblies

involved in key biological processes. They employ a full

range of modern tools, including x-ray crystallography,

magnetic resonance spectroscopy, electron microscopy, mass

spectrometry, bioinformatics, computer modeling and

simulation and chemical synthesis, as well as the techniques

of molecular biology and genetics. Driven by advances in

genetic sequencing, their work to relate one-dimensional

DNA sequences to the three-dimensional protein

architectures they encode represents significant progress in

the quest to understand the complex chemical and physical

transformations that underlie living systems.

GENETICS AND GENOMICS

The university is home to researchers studying the genetic

basis of human disease, as well as genetic studies of

fundamental biological processes that are still poorly

MANDË HOLFORDAssistant Professor of Chemical Biology, Hunter College

and the American Museum of Natural History

For a scientist who studies snails, Mandë Holford’s life is as fast paced as they come. Since graduating from Tom W. Muir’s lab at Rockefeller in 2003, she’s had a National Science Foundation diplomacy fellowship and a postdoc in evolutionary biology and electrophysiology, both of which took her around the world. When the Brooklyn native was looking at graduate schools, she was determined to leave New York, but a visit to Rockefeller’s campus changed her mind. “I was blown away. At Rockefeller, the students were happy, not stressed. From day one, you’re treated like someone who’s here to learn science,” says Mandë, who studied expressed protein ligation, a tool that uses organic chemistry to address biological questions. Mandë’s career has come full circle: back in New York, her research at Hunter College and the American Museum of Natural History explores the structural function of peptidic toxins in marine snails and their application to therapeutics. Collecting samples takes her to Panama and Mozambique, but Mandë is never far from her Rockefeller roots. The peptide-synthesizing machine she uses, and the field of peptide chemistry itself, were invented by Nobel Prize winner Bruce Merrifield, whose Rockefeller lab was once one floor above Mandë’s. “At Rockefeller, science is the star. You’re there working with the greats, solving real-world problems. That was very special to me.”

Alumna Profile

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understood. Bioinformatics and emerging technologies

provide sufficient scale to study the human genome, and

New York City’s diverse population gives Rockefeller

scientists access to research subjects so they can work to

identify human disease genes for complex disorders.

IMMUNOLOGY, V IROLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY

The immune system lies at the heart of many critical areas

of biomedicine, among them stem cell biology, gene therapy,

cancer biology, vascular biology, antiviral immunity and

autoimmune disease. Rockefeller laboratories apply the tools

of modern molecular genetics and cell biology to the study

of several critical aspects of the immune system, including

antigen presentation, immunodeficiency syndromes and the

DNA rearrangements that accompany the maturation of

immune cell lineages. Rockefeller scientists also study

microbial physiology and pathogenesis, parasitology, tumor

immunology and vaccine development.

MEDICAL SCIENCES, SYSTEMS PHYSIOLOGY

AND HUMAN GENETICS

Translating novel scientific insights into new approaches for

the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease is the

ultimate goal of biomedical research. Rockefeller’s scientists

and clinicians study conditions such as cancer, heart

disease, infectious disease, obesity, addiction, psoriasis,

hepatitis C, HIV, mental illness, autoimmune disorders and

many others. The Rockefeller University Hospital serves as

a setting for conducting clinical studies in a carefully

controlled environment.

MOLECULAR AND CELL B IOLOGY

Modern cell biology was founded at Rockefeller more than

a half century ago with the introduction of the electron

microscope. The field has since evolved into a molecular

phase, which focuses on how cellular and extracellular

macromolecules interact and communicate with each other

to give rise to specific functions and responses. Along with

microscopic and biochemical approaches, Rockefeller

scientists use a full range of techniques from structural

biology, biophysics, physiology and genetics to study

processes such as gene regulation, protein translation and

modification, intracellular transport, cell cycle and

chromosome biology, organelle function, signal transduction

and enzymology, and cancer.

NEUROSCIENCES AND BEHAVIOR

Rockefeller scientists study the nervous system from many

perspectives, from the isolation of molecules and cells

mediating neural function and development, to the study of

the cellular ensembles engaged in high-level sensory

processing, to the discovery of mechanistic links between the

biology of the brain and particular behavioral states. Topics

of investigation include, among many others: the control of

gene expression in neurons; the formation and patterning of

the embryonic vertebrate nervous system; circadian rhythms;

olfaction; the effects of experience and hormones on brain

plasticity; and the cortical mechanisms of visual perception.

ORGANISMAL BIOLOGY, EVOLUTION,

ETHOLOGY AND ECOLOGY

Several labs focus on studies of the biology of vertebrate and

invertebrate organisms and plants, as well as on the

evolution of species over time. Looking at genetic and

molecular biology from the perspective of entire organisms,

societies and ecosystems reveals how complex traits and

behaviors develop and how disorders of individuals may

affect populations in unexpected ways. Several scientists

working in these areas conduct field research throughout the

world in order to understand the impact of animal or

societal behavior in natural environments.

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C H E M I C A L A N D

S T R U C T U R A L B I O L O G Y

C. David Allis

Sean F. Brady

Brian T. Chait

Seth A. Darst

David C. Gadsby

Howard C. Hang

Tarun Kapoor

Sebastian Klinge

Roderick MacKinnon

Michael O’Donnell

Charles M. Rice

Michael P. Rout

Thomas P. Sakmar

C. Erec Stebbins

Thomas Tuschl

G E N E T I C S A N D

G E N O M I C S

C. David Allis

Cori Bargmann

Sean F. Brady

Jean-Laurent Casanova

Jeffrey M. Friedman

Mary Jeanne Kreek

Daniel Kronauer

Gaby Maimon

F. Nina Papavasiliou

Charles M. Rice

Robert G. Roeder

Shai Shaham

Agata Smogorzewska

Sidney Strickland

Sohail Tavazoie

I M M U N O L O G Y,

V I R O L O G Y A N D

M I C R O B I O L O G Y

Paul Bieniasz

Sean F. Brady

Jean-Laurent Casanova

Brian T. Chait

Vincent A. Fischetti

Howard C. Hang

David D. Ho

James G. Krueger

Luciano Marraffini

Daniel Mucida

Michel C. Nussenzweig

F. Nina Papavasiliou

Jeffrey V. Ravetch

Charles M. Rice

Sanford M. Simon

C. Erec Stebbins

Alexander Tarakhovsky

Alexander Tomasz

M E D I C A L S C I E N C E S ,

S Y S T E M S P H Y S I O L O G Y

A N D H U M A N G E N E T I C S

Paul Bieniasz

Jan L. Breslow

Jean-Laurent Casanova

Barry S. Coller

Robert B. Darnell

Jeffrey M. Friedman

Mary Jeanne Kreek

James G. Krueger

Charles M. Rice

Sanford M. Simon

Agata Smogorzewska

Sohail Tavazoie

M O L E C U L A R A N D

C E L L B I O L O G Y

C. David Allis

Paul Bieniasz

Günter Blobel

Ali H. Brivanlou

Brian T. Chait

Nam-Hai Chua

Frederick R. Cross

Robert B. Darnell

Titia de Lange

Hironori Funabiki

Paul Greengard

Howard C. Hang

Mary E. Hatten

Nathaniel Heintz

Tarun Kapoor

M. Magda Konarska

Gaby Maimon

Luciano Marraffini

Paul Nurse

Michael O’Donnell

F. Nina Papavasiliou

Charles M. Rice

Robert G. Roeder

Michael P. Rout

Vanessa Ruta

Thomas P. Sakmar

Shai Shaham

Sanford M. Simon

Agata Smogorzewska

Hermann Steller

Sohail Tavazoie

Alexander Tomasz

Thomas Tuschl

Michael W. Young

N E U R O S C I E N C E S

A N D B E H AV I O R

C. David Allis

Cori Bargmann

Ali H. Brivanlou

Jean-Laurent Casanova

Robert B. Darnell

Winrich Freiwald

Jeffrey M. Friedman

David C. Gadsby

Charles D. Gilbert

Paul Greengard

Mary E. Hatten

Nathaniel Heintz

A. James Hudspeth

Mary Jeanne Kreek

Daniel Kronauer

Roderick MacKinnon

Marcelo O. Magnasco

Gaby Maimon

Bruce S. McEwen

Fernando Nottebohm

Donald W. Pfaff

George N. Reeke Jr.

Vanessa Ruta

Thomas P. Sakmar

Shai Shaham

Hermann Steller

Sidney Strickland

Marc Tessier-Lavigne

Leslie B. Vosshall

Michael W. Young

O R G A N I S M A L B I O L O G Y,

E V O L U T I O N , E T H O L O G Y

A N D E C O L O G Y

Joel E. Cohen

Daniel Kronauer

Stanislas Leibler

Marcelo O. Magnasco

Gaby Maimon

Fernando Nottebohm

P H Y S I C A L ,

M AT H E M AT I C A L A N D

C O M P U TAT I O N A L

B I O L O G Y

Joel E. Cohen

Mitchell J. Feigenbaum

Konstantin A. Goulianos

A. James Hudspeth

Bruce W. Knight

Stanislas Leibler

Albert J. Libchaber

Marcelo O. Magnasco

Gaby Maimon

Eric D. Siggia

Sanford M. Simon

S T E M C E L L S ,

D E V E L O P M E N T,

R E G E N E R AT I O N

A N D A G I N G

C. David Allis

Ali H. Brivanlou

Joel E. Cohen

Frederick R. Cross

Titia de Lange

Elaine Fuchs

A. James Hudspeth

Donald W. Pfaff

Charles M. Rice

Robert G. Roeder

Shai Shaham

Eric D. Siggia

Agata Smogorzewska

Hermann Steller

Sidney Strickland

FACULTY BY AREA OF RESEARCH

PHYSICAL, MATHEMATICAL AND

COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

Rockefeller’s physicists and mathematical biologists are

creating a dynamic interface between physical and biological

disciplines. The university’s Center for Studies in Physics and

Biology promotes experimental collaborations to study both

the physical properties of biological systems and the

application of physical techniques to the modeling of

biological networks. Physics laboratories are also studying

systems theory, biological statistics and probability,

population dynamics and sensory processing, among other

subjects. The university also has laboratories conducting

research in high-energy particle physics, bioinformatics,

computational neuroscience, systems and quantitative

biology, networks and synthetic systems.

STEM CELLS , DEVELOPMENT, REGENERATION

AND AGING

Developmental biology has been revolutionized by the

identification of conserved molecules that control the cell

cycle and the growth of embryos, resulting in significant

advances to our understanding of how pluripotent stem cells

differentiate to form specific organs and how embryos

ultimately transform into complex organisms. This field

holds great promise for the development of medical

advances to fight aging and disease, and laboratories in this

area focus on combining diverse genetic, biochemical and

cellular approaches to explore developmental questions in a

range of model organisms.

Clinical and Translational Research

The connection between basic research and clinical investi-

gation is an essential feature of Rockefeller’s culture.

While it is well recognized that discoveries at the bench

can lead to effective new therapies, it is equally true that

research that probes the cause of disease in patients can

lead to important discoveries about the basic processes of

life. At Rockefeller, moving research between lab and clinic

is facilitated by one of the country’s only stand-alone

research hospitals.

An independent, central unit of the university since its

opening in 1910, The Rockefeller University Hospital

provides a vital facility to study the scientific basis of

disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention. It provides

infrastructure, services and support to allow scientists to

explore the medical significance of their work without the

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DANIEL B. GILMER Fifth-year student

Daniel Gilmer was on a one-way track to medical school. As an undergraduate, he participated in a mission trip to Africa, served as president of the Howard University Impact Movement and spent a spring break helping Hurricane Katrina victims rebuild their lives. With a drive to help others and his love of biology, becoming a medical doctor seemed a natural fit. Then he spent a summer at the bench. Following his junior year at Howard — where he worked on the differential effects of silver nanoparticles on healthy and cancerous cells — Daniel spent the summer doing research in an MIT laboratory as part of HHMI’s Exceptional Research Opportunities Program. On advice from his MIT mentor, he made short work of applying to doctoral programs. “I was drawn to Rockefeller’s flexibility and the fact that in such a tightly knit community, I’d have the opportunity to learn more than just my own field.” Before enrolling, he accepted a postbaccalaureate fellowship with the National Cancer Institute, where he spent a year. Daniel is a member of Vincent A. Fischetti’s Laboratory of Bacterial Pathogenesis and Immunology; his work focuses on an antibiotic enzyme known as a lysin, which his animal tests suggest shows promise in treating dangerous streptococci infections.

Student Profile

19

barriers and bureaucracy typical of large teaching hospitals.

Close to half of the university’s labs are now conducting

protocols that involve human subjects, and of these labs,

more than a third are headed by Ph.D. scientists, not

medical doctors.

The hospital’s unique environment is well suited for long

inpatient stays, facilitating the study of pathologic processes

in patients and normal physiological processes in healthy

volunteers. Funded by both The Rockefeller University and a

Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National

Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National

Institutes of Health, the hospital’s facilities include a 20-bed

inpatient unit, a procedure suite suitable for endoscopy and

biopsy procedures, a sleep study unit, a broadband/narrow-

band ultraviolet lightbox and a digital radiology suite. The

Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Outpatient Research Center,

opened in 2003, includes nine examination rooms, two con-

sultation rooms and two phlebotomy rooms.

Research at the hospital, which celebrated its centennial

in 2010, has resulted in some major contributions to

public health, including development of the oxygen chamber,

methods for blood transfusion and storage, methadone

therapy and multiple-drug treatment of HIV infection.

The university’s in-house resource centers provide centralized, high-quality laboratory services for the university community at cost-effective rates. In addition, some common lab services, including DNA sequencing, are provided by outside companies under contract to the university.

B I O - I M A G I N G R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

C O M PA R AT I V E B I O S C I E N C E C E N T E R

CBC IMAGING RESOURCES

GENE TARGETING RESOURCE CENTER

LABORATORY OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY AND GEM PHENOTYPING CORE

TRANSGENIC SERVICES LABORATORY

E L E C T R O N M I C R O S C O P Y R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

F L O W C Y T O M E T RY R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

G E N O M I C S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

G L A S S WA S H I N G S E RV I C E S

H I G H E N E R G Y P H Y S I C S I N S T R U M E N T S H O P

H I G H T H R O U G H P U T S C R E E N I N G

R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

L I B R A RY A N D S C I E N T I F I C I N F O R M AT I O N

C O M M O N S

M O N O C L O N A L A N T I B O D Y C O R E FA C I L I T Y

P R O T E O M I C S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

S P E C T R O S C O P Y R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

S T E M C E L L D E R I VAT I O N C O R E

S T R U C T U R A L B I O L O G Y R E S O U R C E C E N T E R

RESOURCE CENTERS

STUDENT LIFE

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Although the laboratory is the heart of the graduate student’s

day-to-day life, learning at Rockefeller is an immersive

experience and takes place in both formal and informal

settings. The academic calendar buzzes with a busy schedule

of lectures and seminars, and the university’s thoughtful

architecture and peaceful landscaping include many indoor

and outdoor spaces for quiet study or informal conversation

with peers and mentors. Subsidized student housing, free

comprehensive health insurance and a highly regarded child

care facility help to reduce the burdens of daily life and

allow students to focus on their work. And a welcoming,

approachable community of students, postdocs, faculty and

staff is always ready to offer support and lend a hand — it’s

not uncommon for friends and neighbors at Rockefeller to

become lifelong confidantes and collaborators. Meanwhile,

Rockefeller’s location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side offers

easy access to everything New York — a world epicenter of

art and culture — has to offer.

“Life at Rockefeller is truly what Robert Frost calls a vantage point. One side of the campus is lush and calm, tucked against the river, and the other is a gateway to one of the world’s most energetic cities.” Rudy Bellani, Alumnus

22

Campus Overview

Rockefeller’s 14 acres and 22 buildings, set along the East

River, serve as its students’ home base for their scientific

explorations. Nearly all students, along with most postdocs

and many faculty, live on or adjacent to campus, and their

proximity keeps the grounds — and many of the labs —

alive with activity late into the night. Many labs have

dramatic views of the river, the historic Queensboro Bridge

or the New York skyline.

The university’s laboratories are state of the art. Its

newest lab complex, the $400 million Collaborative

Research Center, was completed in 2012 and features over

125,000 square feet of open-plan lab space connected by a

dramatic glass atrium.

Because science isn’t only about lab work, the university

offers numerous spaces for impromptu conversations that

spur creative thought. For more than 50 years, the

university’s Faculty and Students Club has been a relaxed

setting for interactions among scientists of all ages and

disciplines. The Weiss Café and Abby Dining Room offer

spaces for the Rockefeller community to meet over lunch.

And the Rita and Frits Markus Library, located in newly

renovated Welch Hall, features a cavernous reading room

overlooking Roosevelt Island as well as an extensive archive

of books and journals and access to electronic databases.

The campus also offers athletic facilities — including a

fitness center and tennis and squash courts — to stimulate

the body and, to stimulate the mind, an impressive collection

of artwork and a weekly concert series. The campus is

smoke free indoors and out, and recent environmental initia-

tives have led to the adoption of organic horticultural prac-

tices on campus grounds, the purchase of wind-generated

electricity and the installation of high-efficiency lighting and

HVAC equipment.

Lectures

The university’s Caspary Auditorium, a blue-domed neigh-

borhood landmark, hosts several lecture series that bring in

the world’s foremost scientists and thinkers for lectures and

informal conversations. In addition to twice-weekly scientific

lectures (Rockefeller faculty speak on Mondays; acclaimed

researchers from outside institutions speak on Fridays), the

university’s Insight Lecture Series brings speakers in public

health, policy, arts and humanities. There are also a variety

of specialized student- and postdoc-sponsored seminar talks,

as well as concerts and a film series.

Recent speakers have included Alan Alda, Michael

Bloomberg, Harry Frankfurt, Frank Gehry, Murray Gell-

Mann, Eric Kandel, David Nathan, Martin Rees, Jeffrey D.

Sachs, Robert Sapolsky, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Nicholas

Wade, Jonathan Weiner, E.O. Wilson, Tadataka Yamada and

Elias A. Zerhouni.

Housing

The university provides subsidized housing for all Ph.D.

students. Accommodations include studios with kitchenettes,

double and triple suites with shared kitchens and one-bedroom

apartments. M.D.-Ph.D. students spend their first five years

in Cornell University housing and then live in Rockefeller

housing for the duration of the program. Like the laborato-

ries, all on-campus student rooms have high-speed internet

access. Current rents range from $585 to $855 a month.

23

24

For those in need of an escape, the university owns two

cottages located about an hour north of the city near the

Bear Mountain Recreational Area. Student use of the

cottages is by lottery, and they are available between May

and October.

Financial Support

As part of its mission to educate the next generation of

scientific leaders, the university guarantees full financial

support for its students in the Ph.D. program, including

tuition, stipend and a research budget. This arrangement

relieves students of financial concerns and also allows them

to select a laboratory without the complication of

considering the lab’s budget.

For the 2013 to 2014 academic year, the stipend is

$35,000; the research budget is $2,000 in the first year and

$1,500 in subsequent years and may be used toward the

purchase of a computer, reading material or research-related

supplies or for travel to attend scientific meetings. Students

are strongly encouraged to apply for appropriate fellowships;

these will be supplemented by the university to the current sti-

pend level, plus $5,000 in the case of competitively awarded

fellowships. Fellowships for participation in collaborations

abroad are also available. Students are expected to engage full

time in advanced study and research (university policy does

not permit students to accept activities for compensation).

Rockefeller students and their families have the option to

be covered by comprehensive health, dental and vision plans

at the university’s expense (coverage for domestic partner-

ship may incur imputed income costs).

New York City

Rockefeller students have chosen to focus their studies on

science, but living in New York City is one of the best liberal

arts educations in the world. The Rockefeller campus,

located on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, is a short walk —

or quick subway ride — to many of New York’s outstanding

museums, theaters, concert halls, cultural centers, sports

arenas and art galleries. Students can obtain complimentary

passes to The Museum of Modern Art and The Metropolitan

Museum of Art as well as discounted tickets to selected

concerts and Broadway shows.

Those who like being outdoors can bike, stroll or run

along the East River esplanade that adjoins the campus or

25

enjoy Central Park with its zoo, summer Shakespeare

festival and free concerts, ice skating rink, boating pond,

walkways and running and bicycle paths. The city’s more

than 18,000 restaurants offer authentic food from every

imaginable cuisine. New York is also situated within a few

hours’ drive of numerous state parks, beaches and other

recreational areas, perfect for swimming, hiking, skiing,

boating, rock climbing, mountain biking, camping and other

adventure sports.

What’s more, opportunities for scientific stimulation

don’t end at Rockefeller’s gates. Home to several of the

country’s most well-respected universities and hospitals,

New York has a vibrant academic and scientific culture.

The New York Academy of Sciences offers conferences,

symposia and other opportunities to meet and share

knowledge with scientists of all disciplines. Other

organizations offer Rockefeller students the opportunity

to volunteer in local science classrooms or participate in

public science events. Numerous biotech companies are

also choosing to locate in New York, many of them in

a new bioscience campus on the East River two miles

from Rockefeller.

NATALIE DE SOUZA Senior Editor, Nature Methods

Natalie de Souza has always loved both science and writing, and when the time came to pick a career, she chose both. The 2002 Rockefeller graduate is a senior editor at Nature Methods, where she vets manuscript submissions and reviews and helps determine what ends up in each issue of the prestigious journal. She also edits research papers and writes for the publication. The position affords not only a sweeping perspective on the best methods research in the life sciences but also a look at the nitty-gritty experimentation behind each paper, and she likes the combination. “It’s as close as you can be to the scientific process without actually doing research,” she says. At Rockefeller, Natalie studied the biogenesis and trafficking of membrane proteins in Sanford M. Simon’s lab. Her rigorous lab training was vital preparation for her current job. “To know what advances in methodology matter, you need a really good understanding of what biological questions are being asked,” says Natalie, who took the job in 2006 following a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University. “The way you achieve that is through talking to a lot of people and reading extensively about current research, which are both things that I instinctively enjoy.”

Alumna Profile

ADMISSIONS AND SCHEDULE OF COURSES

27

To be accepted into the Rockefeller University graduate

program, applicants must demonstrate a record of achieve-

ment in science and have superb undergraduate academics.

Applications are evaluated by faculty working in a wide

range of fields, and they look for students who have demon-

strated a commitment to scientific excellence and who they

believe will thrive in a flexible, interdisciplinary program.

The application process is highly selective. Applicants to the

university’s other two programs, the M.D.-Ph.D. program

and the Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical

Biology, are handled separately (see page 35 for contact

information). Several courses are offered each year in each

of the university’s nine research areas, and students can

construct their own curricula consisting of at least seven

credits, relevant to their areas of interest, and complete them

within the first two years after enrollment. Supplemental

seminars and tutorials, dependent on demand, and support

courses are also available.

“We pride ourselves on not going by the numbers. We look for a good fit in terms of the flexibility and independence that we offer, and we’re most influenced by what we view as potential for research achievements.” Sidney Strickland, Dean

28

Applying to the Ph.D. Program

The university seeks students who have a natural curiosity

about science and who have demonstrated aptitude,

enthusiasm and commitment to research. Students who enter

the Ph.D. program must have received a degree of bachelor

or master of arts or sciences, or doctor of medicine or

equivalent international qualification. Applicants should be

able to document a high level of achievement in the

biological, chemical, mathematical or physical sciences. Each

year, up to 30 students enter the Ph.D. program.

Applications must be submitted online. Applicants must

submit a personal letter describing their scientific interests,

academic background and research experience and goals, as

well as a biographical data form and at least three letters of

recommendation from faculty who can assess their research

potential. Official college or university transcripts and GRE

general test scores are required for admission. A GRE

advanced subject test is strongly recommended. Applicants

whose native language is not English must submit evidence

of their proficiency in the English language. The application

deadline for the Ph.D. program is December 2, 2013, for

entrance during the first week of September 2014. An

application fee is required.

A faculty committee representing a wide range of

research interests screens the applications. Selected

candidates are invited to interview for a position in the

graduate program in March. During these visits, candidates

have formal and informal opportunities to meet faculty and

students, to visit laboratories and housing facilities, to

explore the Rockefeller neighborhood and to experience the

cultural opportunities of New York.

Applying to the M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Applicants to the Tri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program must

demonstrate strong undergraduate science preparation and

an interest in combining basic scientific research and clinical

medicine. Applications are submitted through Weill Cornell

Medical College. The application deadline is October 15,

2013, for entrance during the first week of July 2014.

Applying to the Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology

Complete application instructions for the Tri-Institutional

Training Program in Chemical Biology are available online

at www.triiprograms.org/tpcb.

Contact information for all three programs can be found

on page 35.

Ph.D. Requirements and Fields of Study

To earn the Ph.D. degree, a Rockefeller student must complete

a thesis comprising a coherent body of novel scientific

work. In consultation with the dean and research advisers,

students must plan coursework and tutorials to support

and complement their thesis research. Students must balance

their need for a broad basis of scientific knowledge with the

requirement for greater depth of understanding in the

particular area of science in which their thesis research will be

focused. Students in the life sciences are required to participate

actively in courses, discussions and tutorials and to fulfill

designated qualifying requirements. Students are evaluated on

their required coursework based on participation in class

discussions and written or oral exercises. Most courses are

scheduled on a two-year cycle during the fall, winter and

spring quarters, but some are offered annually. Additional

information about course offerings and participation and

qualification requirements appears on the following pages.

If a specialized course that is essential for a student’s research

is unavailable at the university, the Dean’s Office will help the

student register for a course at another institution. Students

are encouraged to arrange tutorials with appropriate faculty

members, if they feel the need.

Curriculum

There is no required core curriculum for the Ph.D. In

consultation with the dean of graduate studies, students

choose a flexible combination of courses totaling seven

academic units. Courses toward qualification should be

relevant to the intended area of thesis research and

completed by the end of the second year.

29

Dean’s Office Staff

ACADEMIC STAFF

Sidney Strickland, Ph.D.

Dean of Graduate and

Postgraduate Studies;

Vice President for Educational Affairs

Emily Harms, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Graduate and

Postgraduate Studies

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Kristen Cullen

Graduate Admissions Administrator

and Registrar

Marta Delgado

Graduate Program Administrator

of Finance and Student Affairs

Cristian Rosario

Dean’s Office Associate

Stephanie Fernandez

Dean’s Office Assistant and

SURF Coordinator

From left: Cristian Rosario, Sidney Strickland, Emily Harms, Kristen Cullen, Stephanie Fernandez, Marta Delgado

30

Schedule of Courses

Biochemical and Biophysical Methods

Seth A. Darst, Michael P. Rout and Thomas Tuschl

Fundamental biochemical and biophysical principles are

presented, with an emphasis on methodologies. This course

addresses issues of protein and nucleic acid structure and the

forces that underlie stability and govern the formation of

specific three-dimensional structures. Specific case studies

are presented that examine particular processes, such as

transcription and replication, and how the application of

different methodologies has been used to address specific

biological questions. For background reading, use

Biochemistry by Lubert Stryer and Molecular Biology of

the Cell by Alberts et al. There are no prerequisites for

this course. The final exam consists of a written research

proposal and an oral presentation of the proposal to

the class.

The Biology of Brain Disorders

Gerald Fischbach

This course emphasizes the biological and behavioral

underpinnings of common neurological and psychiatric

disorders. Subjects include: disorders of excitation and

conduction (epilepsy and multiple sclerosis); perception,

cognition and memory (autism, schizophrenia and

Alzheimer’s disease); consciousness (coma and persistent

vegetative state); mood (depression and anxiety); motivation

(addiction); sensation (pain); motor control (Parkinson’s

disease and ataxia); and trauma (brain/spinal cord injury

and stroke). The course meets once a week for two hours

and consists of introductory remarks followed by brief

student presentations and open discussion based on

assigned readings. Each student will be asked to write a

speculative paper relating a disordered trait to a specific

brain circuit.

Cell Biology

Sanford M. Simon and Shai Shaham

This is an advanced course covering major topics in modern

cell biology, taught by faculty and visitors who are

specialists in various disciplines of cell biology. A good

knowledge of textbook cell biology is a prerequisite for

effective participation. The course is completed with an oral

exam. Recommended text for cell biology: Molecular

Biology of the Cell by Alberts et al. Recommended text

for histology: Basic Histology by Junqueira et al.,

2009 edition.

Cell Cycle Control

Frederick R. Cross and Hironori Funabiki

This seminar will cover contemporary understanding of

eukaryotic cell cycle control. It is designed to complement

the Molecular Basis of Cancer seminar, so there will be little

overlap between the two. A primary resource in the seminar

will be The Cell Cycle: Principles of Control by David

Morgan. This book presents a highly integrated view of cell

cycle control drawing on over 20 years of research in many

experimental systems. Weekly reading in this book will be

accompanied by reading primary research papers (some

relatively classical, some current). Weekly homework

exercises will be assigned.

Evaluation will be based on homework and class

participation. Due to the integration of the discussions, the

readings and the homework exercises, auditing is not a

possibility. Topics in the seminar will include: construction of

a biochemical oscillator and overall structure of cell cycle

control; positive and negative control of DNA replication;

spindle morphogenesis and function; chromosome cohesion

control; surveillance mechanisms (checkpoints) monitoring

spindle and DNA integrity; and control of proliferation

(start/restriction point control). We will rely heavily on

studies in model organisms, but the emphasis throughout

will be on aspects of cell cycle control conserved throughout

the eukaryotes.

Chemical Biology

Tarun Kapoor, Howard C. Hang and Sean F. Brady

The spirit of the course will be to explore the complexities

of modern biology using the tools of chemistry. The lectures

will cover: (1) amino acid chemistry, (2) nucleic acid

chemistry, (3) posttranslational modifications of proteins, (4)

discovery and use of chemical probes to examine cellular

mechanisms, (5) membrane chemistry, (6) chemical tools for

imaging and (7) natural product biosynthesis. Knowledge of

introductory chemistry and organic chemistry will be

helpful, but is not essential. This course is offered every

two years.

Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics

C. David Allis

This course will explore the fast-growing field of chromatin

biology and epigenetics. It will have two primary objectives:

(1) to gain some appreciation of chromatin, the physiological

form of our genome, and (2) to introduce students to a

wide array of mechanisms that may underlie epigenetic

phenomena — heritable changes in gene function that are

31

not due to changes in the DNA sequence. The study of these

seemingly bizarre phenomena, often in off-beat organisms,

has now emerged as a scientific field with far-reaching

implications in human biology and human health. The course

will examine the scientific approaches and research methods

employed to define key advances in chromatin biology

leading to the current interest in epigenetics.

Clinical Immunology

This tutorial covers selected topics in clinical immunology

such as autoimmunity, tumor immunity, transplantation,

allergies and infectious diseases. Participants meet for two to

three hours each week to hear a brief overview from a

faculty member and then discuss a few papers. The course is

Tri-Institutional and required for students in the Tri-

Institutional Cancer Immunology Program.

Developmental Neurobiology

Mary E. Hatten

This course focuses on the molecular and cellular

mechanisms underlying the development of the mammalian

nervous system. Topics to be discussed include induction of

the nervous system, specification of neural cell fate, cell

migration, axon guidance and establishment of neuronal

connectivity. Major emphasis is placed on the molecular

mechanisms of neuronal differentiation and cellular

mechanisms of cell patterning in the brain.

Experiment and Theory in Modern Biology

Shai Shaham, Sanford M. Simon and Daniel Mucida

This course introduces first-year graduate students to the

methods and principles behind current biological research.

Students meet once a week to discuss preselected papers that

illustrate methods of biological deduction. With guidance

from the faculty mentors, students present papers, discuss

them and formulate conclusions regarding the experimental

results. Students also present a project based on one of the

papers discussed in class. By the end of the course, students

should be able to critically read a scientific manuscript and

understand principles used in interpreting scientific data.

There are no prerequisites for the course.

Fundamentals of Biostatistics

This course is designed for students who desire access to and

understanding of applied biostatistical methodologies. The

course begins by exploring the necessary theoretical bases

for inferential methods and by describing the limitations of

statistical methods for a given study design. Subsequent

classes focus on understanding the differences of variable

measurement and translating investigator-driven questions

about those data into hypotheses. Finally, given the

measurement type of the variable and the developed

hypothesis, the link to appropriate analytic methods is

defined. Here, the focus is on the application and

interpretation of statistical methods. Students practice

recognizing the appropriateness of analytic methods and

present interpretations of the analysis from peer-reviewed

journal articles.

Fundamentals of Neuroscience

A. James Hudspeth

An introduction to neuroscience for those without previous

experience with the subject, as well as a refresher for those

with a modest background, this course covers the

biophysical principles of electrical and synaptic signaling;

neural plasticity; neuronal cell biology; the structure and

development of invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems;

human neuroanatomy; and the operation of simple neural

circuits. Each week’s single session comprises two lectures

separated by a break and followed by a student-led

discussion of a classic paper related to the subject at hand.

Auditing is not permitted.

Genetics and Evolution

Frederick R. Cross

This seminar covers basic genetic mechanisms: generation

of mutations and genetic segregation, linkage and

recombination (emphasis on linkage/segregation in

eukaryotes). The seminar also considers changes in

population genotypes when these basic genetic mechanisms

are operating in the presence or absence of selective

pressure. Changes in population genotypes can have

effects ranging from polymorphism at neutral loci to

evolution of distinct species. Such changes are also used in

historical analysis to trace migrations, evolution and

coevolution in diverse biological contexts. Students are

required to read two to three papers in the primary

literature each week and participate in a weekly discussion

of those papers. In addition, there are weekly homework

exercises, requiring a variable level of effort. Group effort on

the homework exercises is encouraged. Evaluation is based

on participation in the discussion groups and performance

on the homework exercises. There are no specific

prerequisites for this course. Due to the integration of the

discussions, the readings and the homework exercises,

auditing is not a possibility.

32

Immunobiology Tutorial

Howard C. Hang, Daniel Mucida and F. Nina Papavasiliou

Major topics in cellular, molecular and clinical immunology

are covered. Each session consists of a discussion of the

topic and a review of two or more papers.

Mammalian Genetics

Agata Smogorzewska

The course entails 12 weekly lectures. Topics to be covered

include: modern genetic tools, including RNAi screening and

genetic engineering using TALENS; human gene mapping;

mouse genetics and human disease modeling; genetics of

bone marrow failure syndromes; genetics of cancer

susceptibility; ethical issues in modern genetics; and genetics

of infectious diseases, obesity and diabetes, coronary heart

disease and neurodegenerative diseases. The lectures will be

supplemented by specific readings and questions/problems.

Performance in the course will be evaluated by class

participation and a take-home final exam.

Math Review for Biologists

Marcelo O. Magnasco

This is an intensive skill-development course, starting with

calculus and linear algebra and leading up to differential

equations, Fourier transforms and related computational

methods for model simulation. The concurrent journal club

explores the major historical papers as well as contemporary

biological modeling papers proposed by the students, in full

line-by-line detail. There are no prerequisites.

Membrane Biophysics

Gaby Maimon and Vanessa Ruta

This intensive six-week course consists of 15 to 20 two-

hour lectures and six to eight all-day labs. The topics are

biophysical aspects of the structure and mechanisms of

function and regulation of ion channels, pumps/transporters

and neurotransmitter receptors. The labs are limited to

12 students.

Microbial Pathogenesis

Luciano Marraffini

Infectious diseases continue to be a leading cause of human

morbidity and mortality worldwide as well as an important

cause of economic loss and the “poverty trap” in developing

countries. “Microbial Pathogenesis” focuses on the

molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and

pathogenesis of representative bacterial, fungal and

protozoan diseases. Topics may include malaria,

schistosomiasis, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis,

toxoplasmosis, selected Gram-negative and Gram-positive

bacterial infections, pathogenic mycobacteria, opportunistic

mycoses, antimicrobials and vaccines, evolution of

pathogenicity and molecular mimicry. The course is taught

by Rockefeller and Cornell faculty and selected guest

speakers. Each class includes a lecture followed by lunch

and in-depth discussion of assigned papers with the lecturer.

Molecular Basis of Cancer

Sohail Tavazoie

This course is designed to teach modern concepts in the

regulation of growth control and its significance to cancer.

The format consists of a weekly two-hour lecture followed

by informal discussion over lunch. Each lecture is

accompanied by a review and a research article to be

discussed at lunch. (A reference list is distributed at the first

lecture.) Before the start of the course, students should read

The Biology of Cancer by Robert A. Weinberg (Taylor and

Francis, Inc.). The method of evaluation is discussed at the

beginning of the course. There is a take-home exam at the

end of the course.

Neural Systems

Charles D. Gilbert

This course covers mechanisms of information processing in

the adult nervous system at the level of neuronal ensembles

and interactions, concentrating primarily on the visual

cortex, with selected examples from other systems. Themes

include connectivity, functional architecture, receptive field

properties, psychophysics, dynamic properties of cortical

circuits, relationship between synaptic mechanisms and

functional specificity, learning and memory, attentional

mechanisms and higher order cognitive functions.

Theoretical approaches to modeling neural function are

discussed. The seminar meets for two to three hours once a

week and includes lectures and discussion groups. Readings

for the course consist of original papers and reviews.

The Origin of Life

A. James Hudspeth and Albert J. Libchaber

This reading and discussion course runs for a 10-week

period between January and March. Topics include the

historical, physical and geological background for studies of

the origin of life, the physics and chemistry of polymers,

mechanisms for segregation from the environment, the

synthesis of RNA and DNA, RNA catalysis and the RNA

world, the genetic code, the nature of peptides and proteins,

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the origin of eukaryotic life and the origin of multicellularity.

The course requirements include in-class presentations and

group discussion; auditing is not permitted.

Responsible Conduct of Research

In collaboration with the Sloan-Kettering Institute, this

course promotes awareness of ethical considerations relevant

to the responsible conduct of research. Attendance is

mandatory for all Rockefeller graduate students.

Seminars on Modern Biology

Members of the Rockefeller University faculty

This series is designed to give incoming graduate students a

chance to interact with faculty in an intensive series of

twice-weekly two-hour seminars. Participation is mandatory

for and limited to first-year graduate students. (This course

is not required for M.D.-Ph.D. students, who complete

similar Tri-Institutional seminars during their first two

years.) Seminar sessions run from 1 to 3 p.m. on Monday

and Tuesday afternoons. In each session, two to three faculty

members give brief introductions to their research and

participate in a student-led discussion.

Stem Cells in Tissue Morphogenesis and Cancer

Elaine Fuchs and Ali H. Brivanlou

This course aims to present and discuss key concepts in stem

cell biology, drawing on research from organisms including

planaria, Drosophila, zebrafish, mouse and human. It covers

basic principles of stem cells from self-renewal to tissue

development, homeostasis, wound repair and cancer. In

addition to the basic lectures, there are guest speakers who

are world-renowned leaders in the field. Although these

lectures are open to the public, they are geared toward

students enrolled in the course. Following each of these

lectures, speakers lead a discussion with the class. Course

credit is awarded based on participation in lectures and class

discussions, as well as a written paper. Students are required

to attend lectures and class.

Virology

Charles M. Rice, Paul Bieniasz and David D. Ho

This course of lectures and discussions is presented by

Rockefeller faculty and selected visitors. Major emphasis is

placed on the cellular and molecular biology of animal

viruses. The topics include virus structure, replication,

molecular genetics and gene expression, interactions with

host cells, immunology, pathogenesis, viral vaccines, antiviral

therapy and resistance and viral vectors. Model systems

discussed will include cytocidal, steady-state and tumorigenic

virus-cell interactions. Recommended texts for the course

are Fields Virology by Knipe et al. and Principles of Virology

by Flint et al.

Supplementary Seminars and Tutorials

Additional seminars and tutorials are offered in response to

demand. Students are encouraged to speak with the dean to

arrange seminars or tutorials in any area of science not

covered by the listed courses.

Support Courses

Several courses of a more practical nature are offered by

various faculty and service departments. These include

courses on various aspects of computing, which range from

instruction in the efficient use of everyday PC and

Macintosh software to the effective use of more complex

computational tools.

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Board of Trustees

Honorary ChairDavid Rockefeller

ChairRussell L. Carson

Vice ChairsDavid I. Hirsh, Ph.D.

Henry R. Kravis

Marnie S. Pillsbury

Richard E. Salomon

PresidentMarc Tessier-Lavigne, Ph.D.

Allen R. Adler

Holly S. Andersen, M.D.

Robert M. Bass

Edward J. Benz Jr., M.D.

Judith Roth Berkowitz

Debra Black

David Botstein, Ph.D.

Anna Chapman, M.D.

H. Rodgin Cohen, Esq.

Elizabeth Rivers Curry

Andreas C. Dracopoulos

Anthony B. Evnin, Ph.D.

Michael D. Fascitelli

Peter A. Flaherty

William E. Ford

Joseph L. Goldstein, M.D.

Peter T. Grauer

Paul B. Guenther

Marlene Hess

Sandra J. Horbach

William I. Huyett Jr.

Ajit Jain

David H. Koch

Karen M. Levy

Evelyn G. Lipper, M.D.

Susan M. Lyne

Thomas P. Maniatis, Ph.D.

Surya N. Mohapatra, Ph.D.

Jonathan M. Nelson

Robin Chemers Neustein

Willard J. Overlock Jr.

Lewis A. Sanders

John M. Shapiro

Sydney R. Shuman

Dinakar Singh

David Sze

Lulu C. Wang

Life TrusteesDavid Rockefeller

James H. Simons, Ph.D.

Trustees EmeritiRalph E. Ablon

Edward S. Cooper, M.D.

D. Ronald Daniel

Annette de la Renta

Alexander D. Forger, Esq.

Richard M. Furlaud

Maurice R. Greenberg

Eugene P. Grisanti

David A. Hamburg, M.D.

Eric R. Kandel, M.D.

Nancy M. Kissinger

David G. Nathan, M.D.

Donald A. Pels

Julian H. Robertson Jr.

Patricia P. Rosenwald

Stephen Stamas

Frederick A. Terry Jr., Esq.

John C. Whitehead

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For further information:

Ph.D. Program

Office of Graduate StudiesThe Rockefeller University1230 York Avenue, Box 177New York, NY 10065

www.rockefeller.edu/graduatephd@rockefeller.edu

Telephone: 212-327-8086Fax: 212-327-8505

M.D.-Ph.D. Program

Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-KetteringTri-Institutional M.D.-Ph.D. Program1300 York Avenue, Room C-103New York, NY 10065

www.weill.cornell.edu/mdphdmdphd@med.cornell.edu

Telephone: 212-746-6023Fax: 212-746-8678

Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology

Tri-Institutional Training Program in Chemical Biology1300 York Avenue, Room A139, Box 194New York, NY 10065

www.triiprograms.org/tpcbtpcb@triiprograms.org

Telephone: 212-746-5267Fax: 212-746-8992

The Rockefeller University is accredited by the New York State Board of Regents and the

Commissioner of Education, located at 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12234,

518-474-3852.

The Advisory Committee on Campus Safety will provide upon request all campus crime statistics

as reported to the United States Department of Education. Please contact James Rogers in The

Rockefeller University Office of Security at 212-327-7339 to request a copy of the report. The U.S.

Department of Education’s Web site for campus crime statistics is http://ope.ed.gov/security.

It is the policy of The Rockefeller University to support equality of educational and employment

opportunity. No individual shall be denied admission to the graduate program of the university or

otherwise be discriminated against with respect to any program or in the administration of any

policy of the university because of race, color, religion, sex, age, national or ethnic origin,

citizenship, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability. The Rockefeller University is committed

to the maintenance of affirmative action programs that will assure the continuation of such

equality of opportunity.

Published by The Rockefeller University

Office of Communications and Public Affairs

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